Question

What is the value of the expression |a + b| + |c| when a = –3, b = –7, and c = –15?

Answer 1

Plug the values in the expression:

$|a+b|+|c| = |-3-7|+|-15| = |-10|+|-15| = 10+15 = 25$

In fact, the absolute value of a number is the positive version of a number: the absolute value changes the sign of negative numbers, and leaves positive numbers alone.